Democrats fight each other in congressional race

Two high-profile Democrats vying for the 31st Congressional District seat in 2014 - Redlands Mayor Pete Aguilar and former Rep. Joe Baca - are concentrating on each other, not the man they want to challenge.

"They're sniping at one another instead of sniping at the incumbent," said Bob Stern, former president of the defunct non-partisan Center for Governmental Studies.

The incumbent, Rep. Gary Miller, R-Rancho Cucamonga, is taking a seat in the bleachers. He's absolved himself from politicking at this point, saying he is more focused on policies affecting constituents.

Both Aguilar and Baca think they can beat Miller, Stern said.

The 31st District, which leans Democratic, spans an area from Rancho Cucamonga to Redlands. Miller won the seat against a fellow Republican in the general election in November after four candidates split the Democratic vote in the nonpartisan primary.

San Bernardino City Unified school board member Danny Tillman says he will also run as a Democrat in 2014. If Colton attorney Eloise Gomez Reyes decides to run, she'd be the fourth Democrat to enter the race.

"It's natural that there would be a lot of interest," said John Pitney Jr., Claremont McKenna College professor of government. "Miller is one of very few Republicans holding a seat in a district that Obama won. "

But the intra-party fighting could hurt the Democrats' chances in 2014 - they are spending campaign funds while attacking one another, instead of using the money to defeat Miller, Pitney said.

Pitney said he hails from the state of New York where political parties have more power than their California counterparts.

"You just don't have the same type of tight organizational control that you see in other states," he said.

This leads to voters' watching candidates of the same party slam one another six months after the last election.

In the 2012 primary, Aguilar led the Democrats in votes. After the Democratic state party convention earlier this month, he sent out a news release that included a copy of a 2012 Miller campaign mailer quoting Baca as supporting Miller.

Baca ran in the 35th Congressional District in 2012, losing to fellow Democrat Gloria Negrete McLeod.

"If Miller presents a flier, I cannot control what he puts in the flier," Baca said.

The Aguilar campaign responded by ripping Baca again.

"Joe Baca's blatant attempt to deceive voters about his support of Gary Miller is inexcusable, and these are the kind of deceptive games that career politicians play and not what voters expect from their elected representatives," said Aguilar's campaign manager, Boris Medzhibovsky.

Baca said he supported, not endorsed, Miller in the general election after endorsing Aguilar in the primary.

"Nowhere does it say I endorse Miller," Baca said. "Pete Aguilar does not have the integrity to tell the truth. "

Baca had served in the House of Representatives since he was first elected in a 1999 special election to succeed longtime Rep. George E. Brown Jr., D-San Bernardino, who died in office.

When you compare the other Democrats that are running, they don't have the experience that I have," Baca said. "I have the proven track record and experience,"

Both Baca and Aguilar have been conducting campaign fundraisers. Both also say they have the support of local labor unions.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee - the official campaign arm of House Democrats - has backed Aguilar thus far. DCCC Chairman Steve Israel spoke at an Aguilar fundraiser shortly after Aguilar announced he was running again.

The GOP version of the DCCC, the National Republican Congressional Committee, released its initial list of 11 incumbents it will support in reelection bids against Democrats. Miller wasn't on the list.

But don't read too much into that, said Pitney, because the representatives that are on that NRCC list don't have as much experience as Miller, have less money for their campaigns, and additional names will most likely be announced in the future.

"Given the high-profile and unique aspects of Congressman Miller's district, we have a strategy unlike other targets nationwide," said Miller's district director, Chris Marsh, in an email. "Congressman Miller is moving forward aggressively towards his reelection, with the full backing and support of the NRCC. "

Alleigh Marr , an NRCC spokeswoman, likes Miller's chances.

"The Democrats have plenty to worry about with the infighting among members of their own party," Marr said. "Congressman Miller remains in strong position for reelection. "